


Reunion

by Meri



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: AOS, Gen, New Vulcan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-15
Updated: 2009-11-15
Packaged: 2017-10-02 21:54:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meri/pseuds/Meri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A conversation on New Vulcan between Sarek and Spock Prime.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer: ** Sadly, the characters of Star Trek, specifically Spock Prime and Sarek, do not belong to me. I am learning to accept it. I'm not making any money on them, either.   
> **Note: ** Many thanks to my betas [](http:) Regan_V and especially to [](http:) Lanning for help above and beyond.

"Ambassador Spock. A word, if you will," Sarek said as he came to stand beside him at the edge of the new Cave of the Ancients. Instead of simply a rough hewn out cropping of rocks, a garden had been created at the base of the cave. A memorial to what had been lost.

There was no way to avoid the meeting without being rude, and in truth, Spock had been expecting it for some time. While Vulcans understood the need for privacy better than most, they also had an insatiable curiosity. Sometimes, that overrode even their logic.

Spock inclined his head. "Shall we make use of a bench away from this gathering?"

"If you prefer," Sarek agreed easily, holding out his hand for Spock to precede him on the path that led away from the cave into the garden.

They walked in silence for several minutes. Spock admired the harsh beauty of the sand and rocks and desert flowers, all arranged in pleasing ways.

New Vulcan was as hot, dry, and beautiful as his home planet had been. A fitting tribute to what they all had lost. With the Federation's help, and a virtual army of volunteers, the primary construction of living quarters and the first schools had been completed in a remarkably short time.

The first town's market place and square were well on their way to being completed. Eventually, a group would break off and start a second and possibly third major settlement. For now, everyone lived in the single encampment.

With literally only minutes to evacuate, the first priority had been the children. Not more than one or two ships had made it into space. And now, there were an abundance of traumatized orphans. The Federation had tried to help, sending ships of psychologists, but they were ill equipped to deal with or even understand Vulcan emotions.

The adults who survived were not only trying to manage their own emotionally compromised mental states, but also trying to help the children to accept and move on. There had been a dramatic increase in violence amongst the children as they tried to cope.

Reestablishing the Katric Ark was an important step in the healing process. Nothing would make what happened tolerable, and they would all be living with the scars for generations to come, but having their cultural heritage saved was a comfort to all of those who had survived the annihilation attempt.

Spock chose a bench far enough into the garden that they would not be overhead, even by the keenest of ears. He sat and looked at Sarek expectantly. It was difficult to think of this man as his father when he was younger than Spock himself. And yet, he was the father Spock remembered from his early adult years. Not that he had actually spoken to his father during that time. But this Sarek had the same feel to him that his father had had. Being in his presence was as disconcerting as it was comforting.

"Did you think I would not eventually ascertain your true identity?" Sarek asked without preamble.

"It had occurred to me that you might." Spock inclined his head. "What finally gave me away?"

"Since I met you, you have seemed...familiar. Which was not logical since I did not know you. I spoke with my son last night and then saw you this morning. You reminded me of him in some indistinct way."

Spock could see where this was going. "So, we are similar. That would make sense since --"

"Since you are he. Or what he will be in a hundred twenty nine years."

"Correct. However, he will not be who I am now as I have had much different experiences than he will have."

Sarek nodded. "Why keep your existence a secret?"

"It seemed logical that I tell only those with a need to know. I told T'Pau when I offered my services to her and those who remain. A very few others before that. It was my miscalculation of the supernova that destroyed Romulus and started Nero on his destructive path." While logically he knew there was nothing else he could have done, a part of him, the human part, felt there should have been.

"It is illogical for you to accept blame for his insanity."

"I do not, however --"

"You are not to blame and no one will do so. As you said, he was quite troubled to begin with."

"Indeed. I suspect that this was not why you wished to speak to me."

"No. However, I am curious if that was the only reason you failed to share your true identity with anyone else."

"At first, I wished to ascertain how different the timeline had become. Now, I believe the timeline has already altered irrecoverably, and therefore nothing I tell you will matter."

"I concur. I am curious about the differences. The destruction of Vulcan seems just one step along the path."

"A path that began with the destruction of the USS Kelvin. Twenty-five years ago, when Nero came into this world and changed James T. Kirk's life." For the worse, Spock did not bother to add.

"George Kirk's life was not the only one lost. There were four Vulcans on that ship. Two were killed. T'Rain's husband, Selek, became very anti-federation and anti-human in his world view. He began to argue a strict isolationist policy be adopted by Vulcan. He wanted all off-worlders to be removed. His son, Stolin, found it necessary to provoke Spock while they were in school. To violence, I am afraid."

Spock recalled Stolin from school, but the child had never made a distinct impression on him. He certainly had not been one of Spock's tormentors. "Fascinating. Although my years in school were never pleasant, I was never provoked to violence. I followed your...my father's advice and did not allow those trying to evoke an emotional response to have the satisfaction of witnessing one."

"I am afraid Spock was nearly suspended for defending his mother's honor. I told him at the time that he had to choose which path he wanted to follow." Sarek looked at him. "I had expected him to choose the Vulcan way."

"He chose Star Fleet, as I did."

"He did. He was accepted to the Vulcan Academy of Science, but he turned them down." Without so much as moving a muscle, Sarek conveyed his displeasure with his son's decision. Remarkably absent was the fury that had accompanied _his_ father's displeasure.

"I did not apply. I submitted my application to Star Fleet and presented it to my father as a _fait accompli._" Spock could still remember his father's eyes burning with suppressed rage at his choice. In the argument that ensued, his father's voice never rose above a normal conversational tone, but Spock had been taken aback by his father's narrow view.

"Why do it that way? Was your father not insulted?"

"He was. He had hoped that I would follow tradition. We did not speak for eighteen years after I left. He refused to allow my mother to contact me."

"And she called or wrote to you every week, correct?" The fondness in his words made Spock's chest tight.

And he had to hold back a smile. "Indeed."

"She always followed her own counsel." Sarek looked out at the desert garden and Spock gave him a moment. Captain Picard's gift of Sarek's memories urged him to silence. The Sarek of his time had never recovered from Amanda's death, even after he married Perrin. To have lost her so much sooner and so horribly would only make the wound that much deeper.

"She always did exactly as she pleased." Spock missed his mother still. And she had been gone for almost as many years as this Sarek had lived.

Sarek cleared his throat. "Your mother, did she...."

"She lived a normal human lifespan."

Closing his eyes, Sarek let out a breath. "Your father was not easy to please?"

"Are you?"

"I would like to believe that I am not unreasonable."

"My father wanted me to be fully Vulcan, which is not logical, as I am half human. It took me many years to realize that I could be both and not betray one or the other."

"How so?" Sarek managed to look scandalized with just a raised eyebrow.

"By controlling my emotions rather than trying to purge them."

"I have told Spock the same thing."

"It would seem that he has learned that lesson much sooner than I did." Spock had had to fail the Kohlinar and then touch V'ger's mind to realize that what he was attempting to obtain was not what he actually wanted. "Obtaining something is oftentimes not nearly so satisfying as wanting it."

"That is not logical."

"But I have found it to be very true. Especially when dealing with humans."

"I will bow to your greater knowledge. I would also hope that I am less rigid."

"You came to be somewhat more flexible later in life. I am curious to know what brought you to it at this point." More than curious. He could not hypothesize what could have caused such an early change.

Sarek sat back on the bench and looked at Spock. "I can only venture a guess. Vulcan culture has changed, becoming more liberal --"

"Liberal? I find that hard to be believe." The culture constraints and attitudes he knew were anything but liberal. In fact, it was only in the last few years that rigid adherence to traditions had eased at all. As illogical as it was, his people clung to their old ways.

"When I say liberal, I mean in terms of off-worlders, not in traditional thinking. A small sub-section of very conservative people, lead by Selek, began to call for the dissolving of ties with the Federation after the incident with the Kelvin."

"The anti-Federation movement did not begin in earnest until much later in my timeline. In fact, I was an adult, serving on the Enterprise when the issue finally came to a head."

Sarek nodded, clearly assimilating what he'd said. "Ultimately, it required that all of our people choose sides on the issue. Not surprisingly, most of Vulcan chose to remain in the Federation. It never even came to a vote in the high council."

"Fascinating. In my time, the debate raged on for years, slowly eroding the more liberal thought. There were other, outside influences, also at work. When it came to a vote, the outcome was favorable, but many of our people remained conservative in their outlook."

Sarek nodded. "Perhaps by drawing the lines earlier, there was less chance for the opposing side to press their arguments."

"And for those outside influences to take hold."

"I think that is very likely. And fortuitous. We would not have the help we require if we had cut our ties with our allies." Sarek looked out at the garden again and was silent for a moment. "Many of the most conservative thinkers perished. As much as I disagreed with them, I amsorry for their loss. Too many people in agreement will not help to expand our range of approaches and thought."

"Logical."

"You seem surprised that I am logical?" asked Sarek, his amusement evident.

"No. Just to hear you say such a thing." Spock met his eyes. He could not escape the fact this was his father. And yet not. "For the moment, it will make what is necessary easier."

"We will not survive without great change. To flourish, we will require a flexibility that even the most liberal of Vulcans may find hard to tolerate. That will include the necessity of mixed-race children."

"I do not believe that mixed-marriages and mixed-race children will be among those options our people will accept." Vulcan culture could not have possibly changed enough to allow for that.

"It will be necessary. I think you underestimate those who are left. To expand our gene pool is logical," Sarek said, his tone resolute.

"How well do you expect those half-Vulcan children to be accepted?" Because Spock had been there, and it did not go over well at all. He was surprised that Sarek would even suggest it. But then, Sarek had done more than suggest it, had he not?

"Better than you were. I believe it will be more than accepted, perhaps even sought after." And he did sound like he truly believed that.

Spock thought him naive. "You will bond with another human?"

"I hope not to have to bond for at least two years, but yes, if the opportunity arose, I would bond with another human."

"I will be required to bond sooner than that." There was no question that he would have to bond at some point. That either of them would have to bond with someone.

"Would you allow me to arrange it for you? As an adult, and given the circumstances, you need not allow it."

Spock was honored by the offer, and pleased. It should not surprise him so that Sarek had accepted him as family. "I had thought to ask T'Pau to arrange something. But I find that I, too, would like to follow tradition in this. At this point in my life, I have few requirements beyond someone agreeable. It should not be hard to arrange."

While his face did not change, Sarek's pleasure was all too easy to read. He nodded. "I will notify you when I have found a candidate. I expect you to refuse if you find them unsuitable."

"I doubt I shall. Thank you," Spock said, savoring the feel of familiar connection, something he had not felt in a very long time. "Have the plans for reestablishing the Vulcan Science Academy been finalized?"

Although all of the published works and experiments from the Academy had been saved, many of the works in progress had been lost. As well as most of the staff and the students. A handful had been off-world and a single shuttle craft had made it into space. It had carried a great deal of data with it, but very few people.

"As you are not on the Board of the Vulcan Science Academy, you probably are not aware that we plan to open admission to off-worlders for the next full year term."

"No more than 1% of those who have applied have ever been granted admission. With the diminished staff --"

"We are also going to hire off-world instructors, probably on a rotating basis for several years. The most gifted will be offered tenure."

"There will be many who will wish to teach at the Academy." That was actually something of an understatement. Spock was sure they would not have any problems filling those positions. Probably many times over.

"The influx of new students and teachers will be good for our nascent society. And will also serve to keep us from becoming too isolated."

"It is very logical. And wise. It will give humans and other species the ability to help us, and we will all benefit."

They sat in silence for a moment, and then Spock stood. "We should return to the gathering."

Sarek stood as well. "Indeed, we should. I will be in touch very soon."

Spock inclined his head. "Thank you--" He caught himself. He had very nearly spoken the word "father." "Thank you, Sarek."

If Sarek noticed his incipient breach of protocol, he seemed undisturbed by it, and gestured toward the small crowd gathering for the dedication ceremony. "It is time to begin."

\--finis


End file.
